2024 -- S 3116

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LC005892

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2024

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S E N A T E   R E S O L U T I O N

IN SUPPORT OF RECOGNIZING BLOCK ISLAND'S MANISSEAN TRIBAL NATIVES

     Introduced By: Senators DiMario, Felag, Bell, Pearson, Raptakis, Cano, F. Lombardi,
LaMountain, Ujifusa, and Euer

     Date Introduced: May 30, 2024

     Referred To: Recommended for Immediate Consideration

     WHEREAS, The State of Rhode Island has been home to Native Tribes for centuries; and

     WHEREAS, The first founders to establish a community on Block Island were

Manissean tribal Natives, who inhabited the island called "Manisses" for centuries; and

     WHEREAS, In 1661, Native tribe members that remained on the island numbered

between 1,200 and 1,500, but by 1774 that number had been reduced to 51; and

     WHEREAS, In 1985, an archaeological excavation located a year-round Manissean

village site on the island with carbon dated objects establishing its time frame to be 500 B.C.; and

     WHEREAS, Artifacts found in this area suggested that this highly skilled maritime

culture went deep-sea fishing by navigating their dugout canoes through a transient breach way

between Great Salt Pond and the ocean. Remains of many sturgeon, a deep-water fish, were

found during the excavation along the shore of the pond; and

     WHEREAS, Additional archaeological sites on the island indicate that the indigenous

tribes lived primarily by hunting deer, catching fish and shellfish, growing corn, beans and squash

and making trades with Wampum; and

     WHEREAS, In 1672, Block Island received its Town Charter from the Rhode Island

General Assembly, and was incorporated by the Colony of Rhode Island as "New Shoreham,

otherwise known as Block Island"; and

     WHEREAS, The tiny tribal native community has persevered despite wars, invasion,

servitude and taxation; and

     WHEREAS, Through the ensuing centuries, the Manissean Tribe Natives remained a

challenged and independent community while still fully participating in the local economy; and

     WHEREAS, The Manissean natives remain unabashedly proud of their island and their

heritage. They strive to strike a balance among preservation of land, cultural awareness and tribal

development, and affordable living and economic opportunities in today's economy; and

     WHEREAS, The Manissean Tribe celebrates the importance and rich heritage of all the

ancestors who have come before them to establish native village communities on Block Island;

now, therefore be it

     RESOLVED, That this Senate of the State of Rhode Island hereby supports the

recognition of Block Island's Manissean Tribal Natives; and be it further

     RESOLVED, That this Senate hereby honors the Manissean Native Ancestors and

Descendants. We furthermore commemorate and encourage the preservation of the local

indigenous culture and their historical sites; and be it further

     RESOLVED, That the Secretary of State be and hereby is authorized and directed to

transmit a duly certified copy of this resolution to Maryann Gobern Mathews, President of the

Manissean Tribe of Block Island, for the descendants of the island's original native families.

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LC005892

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